


Seeking comfort

by TwoBladeBae



Category: One Piece
Genre: Bonding, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Niji is non-binary but he doesn't know it, The vinsmoke kids miss their mom, abuse mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29709765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwoBladeBae/pseuds/TwoBladeBae
Summary: Yamato has been spending more and more time in the Vinsmoke castle after striking up a relationship with the youngest prince. Niji isn't happy about that; and he's even less happy about the fact that Yamato wont seem to leave him alone.
Relationships: Yamato/Vinsmoke Yonji
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Seeking comfort

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pkmntrainer_alex](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pkmntrainer_alex/gifts).



> This is a gift for the queen of Vinsmoke content, because we started shipping Yamato and Yonji as a joke and then fell in love with them. And then I fell for the vinsmokes because of her, and there's so many layers to these boys and I just want to spend so much more time examining them and analyzing everything about them.   
> I hope you like it! <3

Yamato could usually sleep anywhere, but for some reason he couldn’t quite articulate, the Vinsmoke estate was the one exception. 

Maybe it was the fact that it was too big, bigger than his own father’s home, with cold tile floors and echoing hallways that reminded him too much of his childhood. Too many years spent wandering the same halls over and over because there was nowhere else he could go. Walls nearly bare except for flags and the occasional photo of the man in charge. There was no comfort, no love. Only obedience. 

At the very least, his boyfriend’s bed was quite comfortable. It was large and thick, and covered in large pillows that sunk in slowly when you laid on them, and thick weighted quilts that were large enough to cover them both entirely. Yonji couldn’t quite admit it, as he struggled with his own lack of emotions at times, but his bed was a very personal space. His own place for comfort in a world where he couldn’t find it anywhere else. 

Letting out a long sigh and pushing himself up, Yamato rubbed his face a few times before dropping his hands and allowing himself to stare at the reflection in the mirror across the room. He could barely see himself now, with only the moonlight from a nearby window illuminating the room, and he ran his fingers through his hair, absently thinking about how he was overdue for a haircut. 

He turned and climbed across the bed, expertly avoiding the limbs and torso of the other man in the bed, sucking in a soft breath at the feeling of him shifting below him. Finally finding the floor once again he stood up beside him, looking down at the body and hoping he stayed asleep. 

Yonji turned his head, now facing the other man but not opening his eyes just yet; refusing to lose more sleep than he had to. He mumbled something into the pillow, just barely audible, but enough to bring a smile to Yamato’s lips.

“I’m just going to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.” He picked up a hair tie from the bedside table, gathering his thick locks up and tying it back into a messy bun. 

Another barely coherent mumble and he nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I can stop by the kitchen if you really want me to.” He leaned down, gently patting the back of his head and earning a pleased hum. “I’ll be back in a bit.” 

When he was sure that Yonji was appeased and wouldn’t try and drag him back into the bed, he turned and finally made his way out of the bedroom, shivering a bit at the chill of the hallway. He glanced both ways down the hall, spinning on his heel and heading down in one direction. 

The main area of the castle was large, with each child residing in a ‘castle’ of their own, resembling different wings of the main building. If Yamato had grown up anywhere other than an equally impressive mansion built by a power hungry madman, he might actually be a little impressed. 

But this kind of life was anything but new to the man. 

He figured stopping in the kitchen first would be the smartest plan, that way he could just use the bathroom attached to Yonji’s room afterwards and slip back into bed right away. Or, he could find one of the other bathrooms around to maybe avoid stepping on week old boxers and dirty t-shirts while trying to pee. 

He was still debating the pros and cons of each when he finally reached the kitchen in the north area of the main castle, scratching the back of his head and taking stock of what was around him and what Yonji might be craving. A quick glance at the clock told him it was nearly 4am, so his options were limited. Reiju had made brownies the afternoon before, and he felt that might be his safest route. 

It wasn’t until he heard the sound of a glass being forcefully set down onto a polished marble surface that he realized he wasn’t alone. He turned, wondering who else could possibly be awake this late at night. 

It was Niji, and judging by the way he was slumped over the counter, he had a purpose here other than just searching for midnight snacks. There was a large carafe sitting beside him, something Yamato knew from experience usually held a very expensive bourbon. It looked nearly empty now though, and he wondered how long Niji had been here alone. 

He finally brought his eyes up to meet the taller man’s, scoffing at the sight. He swirled his drink around in his glass before throwing it back, all but slamming the glass down onto the counter once again. 

“What are you doing here?” He asked, scowling as he sat up a bit straighter now, as if he was trying to make himself look larger in the presence of such a tall individual. Niji wasn’t used to feeling small, and it wasn’t a feeling he liked. 

Yamato only shrugged, reaching into one of the cabinets to retrieve a plate. “Are you asking in general? Because technically I was just in Yonji’s castle, which you have no authority over.” He flashed him a mischievous grin, piling a few brownies onto the plate before sealing them up once again. He wasn’t going to be the reason they went bad. “But really, you should be used to seeing me around by now. I mean, you’re Yonji’s older brother, so you--”

“Stop calling me that, dammit!” 

Yamato froze, blinking in surprise at the sudden outburst. That was unlike him. Niji was usually more reserved than the other boys, and his anger usually presented as quiet insults and side eyes. Not like this. 

Niji groaned and ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it all back and away from his face. The action slowly revealed his eyes, which were usually shaded by his goggles more often than they weren’t. 

Yamato had a few theories as to why that was, but he wasn’t nearly close enough to the man to even consider asking him. He stepped towards the island counter where he was seated, gently setting the plate of brownies down between them. As far as he knew the man didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but a peace offering wouldn’t hurt. 

“Stop calling you  _ what?  _ I don’t understand you. I’m here, I’m gonna be around. Can’t we just try and get along?” He picked up one of the brownies, taking a rather large bite out of it. He chewed it for a few moments before speaking again, slightly muffled now. “Yonji’s your little brother, can’t you just try and be a decent brother and--”

He was cut off suddenly by the sound of shattering glass, nearly choking on his brownie and struggling to set it down without dropping it. The empty glass that had previously been in Niji’s hand was now shattered to bits on the counter, bourbon dripping from his clenched fist. He brought his eyes up, staring into Niji’s face and trying to decipher what he was seeing. 

There was a lot about Niji that the man didn’t know; he was very closed off, and most of his emotions presented as anger and violence over anything else. But there were a few things Yamato knew more than anything, and they were present in the prince’s eyes. 

Fear. 

Guilt. 

_ Shame.  _

Yamato wondered if they were things that were always there. He wondered if this was just how Niji always felt, and maybe he just didn’t have the language to articulate it. Did he even know what those feelings were? Had he ever felt them before? 

“Does it bother you when I call you his brother, Niji?” he crossed his arms on the countertop, his voice soft now. He was careful not to drop his tone too much; he wanted to sound supportive, not patronizing, and he was afraid it may be a fine line for him. “You know...You can say that. You’re allowed to say you’re not comfortable.” 

Silence fell between them then, and Niji only glanced away. He slowly unclenched his fist, dropping the remaining shards of glass before clenching it once again. How did he simultaneously always feel so full of emotion and yet so empty?

“Am I, though?” Niji’s voice was soft, softer than Yamato had ever heard it. Despite it all it stayed level; never once wavering or cracking. He was always in control, or rather, he was unable to feel enough to let his voice break. “You’re saying that the second son of the vinsmokes, the  _ prince _ , is allowed to say no?” 

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” His response was immediate and easy, chin now resting in his palms and elbows on the counter. He understood better than most where he was coming from and it was unfair to just let Niji think that he was alone in this, when he wasn’t. 

If only he would let himself ask for help. 

“Niji...I know why you’re afraid. You have a powerful father. You’re in the spotlight and you’re afraid that if you change, it’ll reflect badly on him, and then…” He swallowed thickly, glancing down at the marble surface now and taking a breath. “And then maybe that anger would be turned around on you.”

He took a moment to compose himself again, anxiously chewing the inside of his lip. He didn’t talk about Kaido’s abuse often; either in fear of retaliation from him or just discomfort from reminding himself of his own trauma, he wasn’t sure, but Niji was baring himself to him right now. 

He could return the favor. 

Yamato cleared his throat, finding his voice again a moment later. “And sometimes, well… you worry that you won’t be the child that your mother wanted. Because she isn’t around to reassure you, and tell you that she’s proud of you. So you wonder what she would think.” He brought his eyes up again, staring at Niji with a soft expression. “Does that sound about right?”

Niji finally allowed himself to relax a bit, resting his fists on the counter and unclenching them slowly. He took a few long moments to find his words again, at first refusing to admit that the man was right. He tapped his fingers on the counter, taking a deep breath. 

“My mother,” He began, pushing around a large shard of glass with the tip of his finger as he spoke. “Sacrificed herself so that we could be born...normal. That’s all she wanted. And so I’m afraid that if I do anything not normal, then I would just…”

“You’re afraid that she would be ashamed of you.” Yamato finished for him, flicking a brownie crumb off the counter. It would be swept away in the morning. 

“Yeah.” Niji replied with a nod, rubbing his face with one hand. 

“If you want my personal opinion...I don’t think that’s possible.” He bit his lower lip, wondering if it would be too out of line to offer a touch. A gentle hand on his shoulder,  _ anything _ . Niji needed it. “I have my own struggles with anxiety, and worries about my own mother, but… I don’t think a woman would go through that much pain and suffering for a child that she wasn’t going to love unconditionally. Yonji has told me the story, and, well… That doesn’t sound like a woman that would be ashamed of her child for deciding a boundary for themselves.” 

His words seemed to strike a chord with the prince and Niji slowly turned to face him, a mix of what looked like shock and relief flooding his features. Of all the things he’d expected to hear from him, that wasn’t one of them. 

“Your mother loved you, Niji. And I know you and your brothers struggle with that concept but you all clearly love each other too. And I think that’s unconditional.” He pulled back, picking up the rest of his brownie and shoving it into his mouth before he could say anything else. He wanted to be friends with Niji; he really did. He was going to be hanging around the castle more and more the longer he was with Yonji. It was only right they got along. 

The kitchen was silent for a few minutes, only the sound of a nearby clock ticking nearby echoing throughout the room. Yamato felt good about what he had said, and it seemed like Niji was feeling a bit better; if only slightly. If there was a proper gender conversation to be had with the prince, it could wait. 

“Yamato.” He spoke softly, keeping his eyes focused on the counter. He didn’t dare look up; he wasn’t sure he could handle the empathetic look he’d find in the man’s eyes. “Thank you.” 

Yamato broke into a wide grin, happy that he had been able to get somewhere with him; happy that his words were able to bring him some comfort, if even just a little. 

“You’re welcome, Niji.” He picked up the plate of brownies once again, gently placing one in front of him before finally stepping away from the counter. “Get some sleep. You need it.” 

Returning to Yonji’s castle bedroom, Yamato shut the door and approached the bed with a soft sigh. He placed the brownies on the bedside table, knowing there was a decent chance he would wake up wanting a snack before promptly passing out once again. It was just how Yonji was.

He reached up, hooking his finger in his ponytail holder and tugging it out, letting his hair fall to its full length once again. He climbed onto the bed, strategically avoiding the sprawled limbs of his boyfriend, burrowing beneath the main quilts and finally resting back against his usual pillow. 

Maybe he had been wrong all along about the estate. Maybe there was some comfort here, and he just had to look for it. 

Maybe deep down, beneath the layers of anger and shame, the siblings had more emotion than they led on, or even knew about themselves. He wanted to find out. 

He hoped he would eventually.


End file.
